Suction cleaner



0a. 29, 1946.' c. o. PENN SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 11; 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Carl 0. Penn Get. 29, 1946. o, PEN 2,410,302

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 11, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Carl 0. Penn Oct. 29, 1946. c o, PENN SUCTION CLEANER 5 Sheets-Shet 3 Filed Nov. 11, 1943 INVENTOR Carl 0. Penn ,/77'70A/VEY.

Patented Oct. 29, 1943 SUCTION CLEANER Carl 0. Penn, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 11, 1943, Serial No. 509,875

9 Claims. (01. 183-57) The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and more particularly to a new and novel suction cleaner in which a fixed filter within the machine must be cleaned before the machine can be opened to empty the collected foreign matter. More specifically the invention comprises a suction cleaner with a permanently embodied filter anda removable dirt container, access to the dirt container being controlled by program release means.

It is an object .of the present invention to provide a newand improved suction cleaner. It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improved suctionhcleaner embodying program release meansfor. the dirt-retaining means. A still further object of the invention is to. provide a suction cleaner incorporating-an initial dirt separator, suction-creating means, a final dirt separator, means to remove the collected foreign material from the final dirt separator and to transport it to the initial dirt separator, and programcontrolled release means which require that the final dirt separator be cleaned before foreign material can be removed from the initial dirt separator. Still another object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner in which a predetermined program must be followed, including the cleaning of a final filter, before the cleaner can be opened and the dirt emptied therefrom. Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and novel cover release mechanism for a suction cleanen A still further object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner in which a filter-cleaning nozzle must .be reciprocated a predetermined number of times relative to the filter to remove the collected foreign material therefrom before the machine can be opened and the collected foreign material removed. These and more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and in which the same reference character refers to the same parts of the various views:-

- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a cleaner embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial end view of the cleaner illustrated in Figure l with a part of the cleaner cover broken away; g Figure 3 is a section through the air-controlling valve means, being taken upon the line 3-3 of Figure 1; I

Figure 4 is a partial section upon the line 4-4 of Figur 1;

Figure 5 is a partial section upon the line 5-5 of Figure 1 and shows the means which retain the actuating handle in its operative and inoperative positions;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the program release mechanism illustrated in Figure l, the parts'being shown positioned so as to permit the removal of the casing cover;

Figure 7 is'a section upon the line 'l-l of Figure 6;

, In the common canister suction cleaner foreign material is collected within a removable dust bag. When this bag has become filled with foreign material to an extent such that the back pressure opposing the flow of cleaning air through the machine is excessive the machine is opened, the bag removed and cleaned as by shaking. The bag-cleaning operation is objectionable in that foreign material enters the air and is noticeable to the user. In an improved type of suction cleaner a removable receptacle within which foreignmaterial collects is provided and, being made of'metal or similar material from which foreign material readily separates, permits of cleaning in a much less undesirable operation. If the machine of this latter type embodies a filter which is permanent within the cleaner, in the sense that it is not removed with the removal of the foreign material, then the filter must be cleaned at intervals'to prevent the building up of an undesirable back pressure. In a suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention the fixed final filter within the machine is provided with cleaning means which remove the collected foreign material from it and transport that material to 'a readily emptied removable; dirt receptacle. To insure that the final filterwill be cleaned and that the receptacle will not be emptied by the operator without periodically cleaning the filter, there is provided a program release mechanism which places the operator under the necessity of cleaning thefinal filter before he can remove the receptacle to empty the dirt. r

Referring now particularly to the drawings a horizontal canister type machine is illustrated in Figure 1 in vertical longitudinal section. The cleaner is seen to comprise n elongated casing I which may be cylindrical and which is slidably supported ,by longitudinally, extendin runners 2 in a common and well known manner. One end of cylindrical casing I is closed by a fixed cover lit port 8 which supports the cover and tends to force it toward the casing end ring 9 fixed on the casing I. The upper end of cover 6 is removably latched to the casing I by means will be fully described and which include program release means the operation of which requires that the operator clean the cleaner filter before the cover, can be removed.

Within casing I are positioned a front transverse plate I I and a rear transverse plate I2, the latter being provided with a plurality of ports I3 around'itsper'iphery and'imm'ediatelyins'ide the casing I, Plates II and I2 support the'suctioncreating, unit'o'f'the cleaner comprising a motor IAfarid "a multiple Ian. I6. The casings of fan iinit'lfiand motor I4 are fixedly. secured to the plates II and I2 and the mbtor shaft I'I extends completely through the casing of fan u'riitlfij where it carries a plurality of fans I8, through the front plate I,I',and into the chamber I9 where it carries the rotar'y'separator 2L Itot'ary separator 2 I" is of a well known type which, when rotating at high speeds permits air to pass through it'while' rejecting and throwing radially oi'it "a idly foreignma'terial of appreciable: mass which attempts to enter, A plurality of minor air mov'ing -blades 22 are formed upon; separator 2 l'gadflacent the plate I I which serve' to prevent air froirip'assing'ffrom' the chamber I9 inwardly toward the" motor shaft without passing through the apertures of j the "sepa ator 2 I The suctioncreating fans I8 cause air to pass through the sejp 'rator 2 I through theeye 23 ,of the fan clhambe'r throughth e manna, and to be exnaus ea through' 'the exhaust ports 24. The space arouh dthe motor I I and fan unit I6 into which the air is'exhausted is indicated by the reference character 26 a'n'dis called the final filter chamber, derivingit's n arnefrom the factthat it is enclosed ri r i a l j r xtendin b w e plates II and I2 The space outside of the, filter 2 and'withi'n the casing I, isindicated by the referenc 'eharacter 28 and may be referred to as the discharge chamber, being cor nectedthrough tiierirt'fls in therear wall 12 to the dischar e part}. "Foreign material entering the cleaner will bene ny all removed within the initial sepa rator'ehamber IS by the action of the centrifugal separator ZI' and willcollect within the removacream Container ZIJ Asmallpart, however, of th sn ate i l zariiw a lv. mat lni slight massgmay pass throughthe separator and into the f'a'n to b e' exhausted into the final dirt" separator- 2 Ii to be collected' upon the interior surface of 'thefilterjl. Theair less the foreign eta wa mu h. he l the i charge "chamber and escapes through the discharge port 4 As the interior surface of the filter 1 'i t' ea lr,as s b e t0 e r tq m an are "provided to clean it comprising a filter: cleaning'nozzle 3 I ring likein form and provided with a 'surface' contacting" mouth. Nozzle; 3| is int'ei 'i'orly' eqrinect'd by "arig id conduit "32 to the interior of the initialvdirt separator chamber I9, e eat a ars; were mf f u d nv h wall I I by the air seal mounting 33. The nozzle is adapted to slide over and contact the entire length of the filter 21 being movable between resilient bumpers 34 carried by the plates I I and I2.

Conduit 32, forwardly of the plate II, is closed by a fixed closure plug 36 and is provided rearwardly of the plug with a side valve port 31. To actuate the conduit 32 and the filter-cleaning nozzle 31, and also to close'the valve port 31 when it is not desired to use the nozzle, there is provided. an exterior operating handle 38 and a tube 39'. l The latter extends through the cover 6 at a slot port 41 formed therein to accommodate it,

e is slidably. carried in a depending guide 42 formed integrally in the end ring 9 of the casing I and seats rotatably on the end portion of conduit 32. Tube '39 at its inner end is formed with a side port 43 adjacent the port 31 in the conduit 32. In the normal position of the handle during leaner o era n a shown nv lines n ures l and 3, the ports are 180 degrees out of alignment When the handle is rotated through 130 degrees port 43 moves into alignment with port and the interior of tube. 32,, and so the nozzle 3i, is connected to the separating chamber I9 To permit of relative rotation of tube 39 relative to, conduit 32. and at the same time to prevent longitudinal separation thereof, the tube 39 and the conduit 32 are provided with mutually engaging circumferential grooves, illustrated and indicated at 44, adjacent the, plug 36.

In the normal operation of the machine it is desirable that the handle 38 and the filtercleaning nozzle 3I beheld in a definite position. A bracket 43 on the inside of the casing I is position'e'd forwardly of a stop lug 41 upon the tube 39in all angular positions of the tube except the nozzle-operating position illustrated in dotted lines "in 'Figi'iresl and 2, Unless the handle is turned; to thedotte d line positionthe bracket prevents forward movement of the tube and nozzle'throu'gh obstructing the lug 4 1. Itis also desirable that are handle be held either in its normal angular position or that'itbe held in its ridz'z'le' operating angular, position. To accomp there is provided within the conduit 32 a 'spring -pressed. detent H3 which'extends outwardly through the conduit in a suitable sealed relationship; The extreme end of. thetube 39 surrounding ,on'duit- 32 is formed with two spaced detentrjc" r g seats or pockets 49 into which detnt "48 ,i a ing its springandfrom' which it can be displaceablebya 'slightirotational force upon the handle. Actually, of course, the seats49 upon the tube 39 riit'ate' relative to the detent for it is the tube 39 earrying'the seats which is rotatable.

In the norm'al; operation of the cleaner air passesirorrr the final filter chamber 26' outwardly through the filter 2"Iinto the discharge chamber 28 the for eign material collecting upon. the interiorfisuriace of-the filter. Inv the filter-cleaning operation the nozzle 3] is reciprocated back and forth over thesur face of filter 21 a plurality of times in order that the e filter-cleaning air.entering from the discharge chamber 28 and passin through the filter 21 into the nozzle 3| will have sui'jic ient opportunity to remove the collected materiall' The number of times which the nozzle" must be reciprocated can be determined empiricallybutis inthe neighborhood of three ember. According to the present invention ,before the dirt container 20 can be remQVeed-.'the

, dapteditojslidebyslightly compress-v filter 21 is to becleaned and accordingly the cover plate 6, which must be removed toigain access to removable container 2f], is normally locked to the casing l and can only be removed by the operator actuating a program release mechanism. This program release mechanism is directly connected to the actuating mechanism for the filter-cleaning nozzle and the filter-cleaning nozzle must be reciprocated the desired number of times before the cover can be removed. This mechanism will now be described. I Removable cover 6 carries an inwardly projecting arm 5| the slotted end of which extendsin sealed relationship through an aperture formed in a housing 52 carried below the top of main casing 1. During normal cleaner operation arm 5|, and so the cover 6 fixed thereto, is held against outward displacement by a hooked latch 53 pivotally mounted upon a bracket 54 within the housing 52. Latch 53 is held in both latching and non-latching positions by a spring 56 which connects to it and to the bracket 54, the connections being upon opposite sides of the pivotal mounting of the latch and the Spring moving over center with respect thereto as the latch moves from one to the other position. The latch carries a pivoted trip arm 5l.which is normally spring-pressed toward a fixed stop pin 58 on the bracket 54 but which is adapted to be pivoted into contact with a stop pin 59 carried by the latch 53 upon its opposite side.

A ratchet wheel 5! is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 62 carried by the bracket 54. An adjacent rocker arm 53 on shaft 62 carries a spring-pressed pawl 64 adapted to engage the teeth of ratchet wheel BI and to rotate that element in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 1 and 6. Rotation of the ratchet wheel in clockwise direction as viewed in those figures is prevented by a second spring-pressed pawl 56 pivoted on the bracket 54. The ratchet wheel 6| carries several axially projecting pins 61 which are adapted to contact the lower end of the trip arm 5'! of the latch 53 with the latch in its holding position. Rotation of the ratchet wheel 6| in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, effects the contact of a pin 61 with the trip arm 51 and the pivotal movement of that arm from the bracket-carried stop 58 into contact with the latch-carried stop 59. Further movement of the pin results in the pivotal movement of the latch until the spring 56 moves over center with respect to the latch pivotal axis at which time the latch snaps into its open position illustrated in Figure 6.

Rotation of the ratchet wheel 6| to effect the movement of the latch is accomplished by a headed pin ll which slidingly seats in seated relationship in the side wall of the housing 52 in position to be contacted by a shoulder 12 on conduit 39 near its forward end. As handle 38 is drawn outwardly, and near theend of the movement of the nozzle 3| toward the front of the machine, the shoulder 12 contacts the pin H and forces it inwardly in the housing 52. The forward end of the headed pin ll contactsthe outer end of the rocker arm 63 with each inward movement, resulting from each forward stroke of the nozzle 3|. The rocker arm 63, through the engagement of the pawl 64 with the ratchet wheel, rotates that wheel in a counterclockwise direction. This rotation continues as the nozzle is reciprocated by the handle 3| until the following pin 61 engages the trip arm 51 to perform'its latch actuating function described above. Obviously the spacing of the pins 61 will determine the num-- ber of reciprocations of the nozzle 3| which must be provided inorder to release the cover. When the filter-cleaning nozzle is being used to clean the filter 21 it is desirable that allof the air passing through the suction-creating means of the cleaner perform the useful function of cleaning the filter. If the intake port 1 remains open certain air will enter therethrough and this air, which of course is also handled by the suction-creating means of the cleaner, willreduce to that extent the air which is drawn from the nozzle 3| in through the conduit 32. Accordingly it is desirable that the intake port 1 be closed during the filter-cleaning operation and this is accomplished by providing a valve plate 8| pivotally mounted upon a pin 82 on the interior of the cover 6 and movable between port-closing and port-opening positions. A coil spring 83 between the head of pivot pin 82 and the valve 8! urges the valve toward the cover 6 so as to seal with the mouth of port 1. A second coil spring, indicated at 84, also encircles the pivotal axis 82 and exerts a pivoting force upon the valve 8| to move it into port-closing position.

A cross head 86 carries a pin 81 which engages a slotted upper end of the valve plate 8| being itself slidably mounted on the inner surface of cover 6. Cross head 86 extends is sealed relationship through its seat in cover 6 into abutting contact with the handle 38, as illustrated in Figure 2, when the handle is in inoperative or cleaner-operating position. When the handle is moved to its own operating or nozzle-actuating position, illustrated in dotted lines in the same figure, the cross head 86 is released and, under the actuation of the coil spring 84, the valve 8| moves into portsealing position and the cross head moves transversely outwardly. It is adapted to be contacted and moved to its former position by the handle when the latter is again moved to its full line position illustrated in Figure 2.

' The operation of the filter-cleaning mechanism and the removal of the dirt contained therein will now be explained. The machine having been used for a considerable period of time, and the operator being of the opinion that the dirt container 20 should be emptied, he pivots the handle from the full line position to the dotted line position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Thereupon plate valve 8! moves into position to close the intake port 1 and all of the air which moves through under the actuation of the suction-creating means is circulated through the filter-cleaning nozzle 3| The rotation of the actuating handle 38 through degrees moves the stop lug 41 into position so that it can move past the bracket 46 on the casing I. This permits the handle to be pulled inwardly and outwardly relative to the front of the machine and, accordingly, the nozzle 3| to move longitudinally of the casing and over the surface of the filter 21. The handle is retained in its upper or nozzle-operating position, as it was retained in its lower initial'position, by the cooperation of the spring-pressed detent 48 carried by the conduit 32 with a detent seat carried by the tube 39. The operator reciprocates the handle and the nozzle rearwardly and forwardly several times and with each movement tube-carried shoulder 12 abuts and forces inwardly the slide pin ll resulting in the partial rotation of the ratchet wheel 6|. The start of this operation found the latch 53 in its coverretaining position, illustrated in Figure 1. The subsequent rotation of the ratchet wheel upon the reciprocation of, the nozzle. causes, the ratchet wheel to be rotated; and this rotation brings, into contact with the, trip arm- 51 on the latch 53 the next pin 61 on the ratchet wheel. Ifhe engagement of the pin and the trip arm effects the pivotal movement of the latch 53 until it springs-to the open position, illustrated in Figure 6, under the actuation of its over center spring 56. The arm on the cover 6 is then free to move outwardlyand the operator can pivot the cover 6 outwardly and slide the bottom thereof from its spring; support 8'. The dirtcontainer Z-Qcan then be removed and emptied in an obviousmanner.

The dirt container being; emptied it is replaced within the machine and the cover 6;, again positioned. The operator then exerts a downward force upon the latch-operating plunger 55' toforce the latch downwardly from the position illustrated in Figure 6 to thatillustrated in Figure, 1.

the Figure 6 position, it is to be noted, the trip lever 51 has moved to, a position rearwardly of .thepin 61 which efiected the trippingaction upon the latch 53 moving to its upperposition. When the latch 53 is forced downwardly by the plunger 55 the trip lever is in position to be, engaged by the next pin 61. The operator, to return the machine to its normal:operatingcondition, need only rotate the actuating handle 38: from its dotted line position to its full line position, the handle being; as close to the casing cover as possible. Therenpon; the port-closing valve. 8| moves to openposition and the machine is again ready for operation.

Iclaim;

1'. Ina suction cleaner, suction-creating: means, a dirt; separator, a dirt" receptacle, a casing enw closing said parts and including; a removable cover; the removal of which gives access to said dirt receptacle, latching means retaining, said cover inplace on said; casin a program release mechanism positioning said, latching. means, means to actuate said mechanism to positionsaid latching means to release said cover including a manually operable handle, and means to. clean saiddirt separator concomitantly with the opera= tion oi-said mechanism and actuated: by said handle;

2. In-asuction cleaner, a,m-ain.casingincluding a removable cover, afilter in said casing, a latch normally securing saidcover; onrsaidcasing, man.- ually operable means to release said latch, a filtercleaning nozzle in said casing, means.connectingsaid nozzle to said manually operable means to enable the operator to, actuate said nozzle, and

program means controlling said latch and-adapted to release same under a, predetermined: schedule of; operationoi said nozzle.

3;,In a.,s-uctionocleaner, a main-casingincluding a removable cover, afilter insaid casing-,suction-creatingmeansin-said casing tomove-air through said filter, a latch normally-lsecuringosaid cover to said casing, a,filter-cleaningelement in said casing movable relative to said filter, program means connectin said elementand' said latch to release the latter by; a predetermined movement-of the former, and manuallyoperablemeans to actuatesaid element; I

4; In a suction cleaner, a main casing including aremovable cover and inletand' outletcports, a filter; in said casing,- suctionecreatinglmeans in said casing to move air through saidfilter, alatch normally securing said coventasaid casing, a..fil'-: ter-cleaning nozzle in, said casing movableorelav tive to saidfilter, valvejmean -to connectrsaid filter-cleaning nozzle to said-,1 suctionecreat-ing means, valve means tocontrol the flow of air through said inlet port, program means connectingsaid nozzle and said latch to release the latter upon a predetermined movement of the former, and manually operable means connected to said nozzle and mounted for rotation to actuatesaid valvemeans and for displacement to actuate said nozzle,

5. In a suction cleaner, a main casing including a removable cover and inlet and exhaust ports, a dirt container inside said casing displaceable from said casing with said cover removed, an initial dirt separator, suction-creating means in said casing to draw air through said inlet port and through said initial dirt separator, afinal dirt separator including a filter to receive. air from said suction-creating means, a filter-cleaning nozzle connected to said suctionecreating means at said initial separator and mounted for movement relative to said filter, valve means controlling the floW of air through said inlet port and through said nozzle, latch means securing said cover to said casing, a manually operable handle connected to said nozzle and to said valve means, and program means to release said latch upon a predetermined movement of said nozzle by said handle.

6. In a suction cleaner, an elongated main casing including a removable portion, a filter insaid casing, securing means normally holding said portion in place, program release means controlling said securing means, a filter-cleaning element movable with respect to said filter, and a handle to actuate simultaneously and with the same movement said program release means and said filter-cleaning element and mounted for translation parallel to the major aXis of said casing, characterized in that said handle must be actuated a plurality of times to actuate said program release means to move said release means to their releasing position.

7. In a suction cleaner, a casing including a removable portion, securing means normally holding said portion in place, an initial dirt separator,

suction-creating means, and a final dirt separator including a filter arranged in the order given within said casing, a movable nozzle movable on said filter, air-conducting means connecting said nozzle to said initial dirt separator, valve means controlling the flow of air through said nozzle, program release means controlling said-securing means, and a single manually operable element to actuate said nozzle, valve means and program release means.

8. In a suction cleaner, a casing, an initial dirt separator, suction-creating means and a final dirt separator in said casing, a nozzle to remove dirt from said final filter, air-conducting means connecting said nozzle to a point of suction in said initial dirt separator, valve means to control the flow of air through said nozzle, and an operating handlemounted for translation and arcuate movement relative to said casing on a single axis and connected to said nozzle and to said valve means, characterized in that the arcuateposition of said handlecontrols said valve means and the translatory movement operates said nozzle..

9. In a suctionv cleaner, a casing including. a removable portion, an initial dirt separator; suction-creating means and a final dirtseparator. in said, casing; a nozzle to removev dirt from said final filter, air-conducting means. connectingsaid nozzle to apoint of suction in said initial dirt separator, valvemeans to, control the, flow of air to actuate same, characterized in that the arcuate position of said handle positions said valve means and the translatory movement of said handle actuates said -nozzle and said program release means.

CARL O. PENN. 

